Musicals and dance lessons at Regent Street Cinema

Posted on August 24, 2015

This autumn, London’s Regent Street Cinema will show a series of movie musicals, with a free ballroom dance lesson after every screening.

The season opens on September 9 with Singin’ in the Rain, with another classic every Wednesday until October 28. Each matinée screening will show one of MGM’s famous musicals: An American in Paris, Gigi, High Society, the highlights compilation That’s Entertainment, Ziegfeld Follies, Love Me or Leave Me and West Side Story.

Each matinée starts at 2pm, with the dance lesson following at 4pm in the University of Westminster’s splendid Fyvie Hall, next to the cinema. Classes are free, but are offered on a first come, first served basis.

Recently reopened, the Regent Street Cinema is the UK’s oldest cinema. The Lumière brothers presented the first British film screening here in 1896, to an audience of 54 people who paid a shilling each to see the show. The new matinée season remembers the venue’s history: the first 54 people at each screening will pay just a penny to attend. On entering the venue, guests will be greeted by the sound of the cinema’s Compton 1936 organ.

For more information, and to book tickets, visit www.regentstreetcinema.com.

Zoë was born in Edinburgh, and saw her first dance performances at the Festival there. She is the dance critic of The Independent, and has also written for The Independent on Sunday, The Scotsman and Dancing Times. In 2002, she received her doctorate from the University of York for a thesis on “Nationhood and epic romance: Ariosto, Sidney, Spenser”. She is the author of The Royal Ballet: 75 Years and The Ballet Lover’s Companion.